Expand the Student's Self-Interest Horizon in
such a way that they don't rush when there is no need. Improves
the quality of their work and their test scores.

Background

CAUSES OF THE MISTAKE

No relevance thinking. "I don't see how this
is important to me. Just Get Through It!"

No self-respect. "I can't do it, so why try.
Just Get Through It! "

Lacking motivation. "I don't care. Just Get
Through It! "

Lacking algorithm. "I really don't know how to
go about this. Just Get Through It!"

Teacher Prep

If you wish to provide your students with hard
copy of the heart of this lesson, then download and print out the
Rich Text Format file, getthru.rtf.It is a single page.

You can view this file in Web format here:
getthrough.htm.
If printed, this is a multipage document.

Class Time

Introduction

Once a father called me to find out why his son,
normally an "A" student and rather competent in using a computer, had
failed a computer test. During the three-way telephone conversation
we explored the situation with the boy. The student admitted to
his father and me that he was "just in a hurry to get through
it!" Even though he had plenty of time and finished early, he had
rushed,
and had not checked his
work! Dad: "How could you
DO THAT?"

I have heard it from other students.It is a too common problem. Fortunately, it is
easy to
correct, and correcting it shows good
results immediately!

Relevance

IF:You are
interested in having a good future - if that is a main goal of
yours,

OR-IF:You have a Life-Goal of making a good living,

OR-IF:You have a Life-Goal of being respected by others,

OR-IF:You have a Life-Goal of respecting yourself,

THEN:The "Just Get
Through It!" habit is like
shooting yourself in the
foot!Presentation

During this lesson, I will be talking directly to
individual students. I am not picking you out for any particular
reason. I hope you will be honest in your answers - not for my sake,
but for yourself.

If you should feel embarrassed because of your
answer, promise yourself that you will correct the problem and thus
become a better student. Once you have done that, you have
changed! You are no longer the same as
you were when you made the mistake. Your
self-respect will rise up a notch! "I have made myself better than I
used to be! I am getting better and better all the time!"

The rest of you, when I am talking to an
individual, in your mind pretend I am talking to you personally,
and in your mind answer honestly for yourself.

In the following go around the room
addressing each student in turn, one question per student. Repeat
the cycle of questions until all students have been questioned
once.

Honestly look at yourselves to see if you have
been doing these things. Is this how
YOUthink?

Start at the beginning and work straight
through to the end, and then stop. - - - Is that
YOU?

Just Get Through It! - - - Is
that YOU?

Hurry and get it over with. - - -
Is that YOU?

Is this what
YOU do?

Keep moving fast so you can get through it. -
- - Is that YOU?

Dont spend much time trying to
understand the instructions or the work.- - - Is that
YOU?

You go through a paper getting a function
wrong in the beginning. Then, part way through the paper, you
start getting that function right. You do NOT go back to
the earlier part and correct what you did wrong. - - - Is that
YOU?

You have to acknowledge to yourself that you have a
problem before you can fix it! I do encourage you to tell your
teacher privately, as a tool for self-honesty, and as a move towards
personally correcting it.

Decision

If you have been shooting yourself in the foot by
doing the "Just Get Through It!" mistake, you need to make the effort
to consciously decide you will stop doing it. You need to make the
decision to take action to make a change.

Motivation

You should decide to embrace solid
motivation. Your motivation should be:

1. Given the limits of time or materials,

I will do the very best job I can,

So I can respect myself!

2. I will learn this

For life!

So I can use it in the future!

So that the time I spend on it will not be
wasted!

So it can be of real value to
me!

Algorithm

You should decide to embrace a solid change of
attitude. Memorize this,
and use it!

1. Consciously decide to do the
best job you can!

2. Consciously decide to take the time needed
to do it right!

3. Consciously decide to go back over your
paper, using all the time remaining.

Did I do it all? Mark off each instruction
you have completed.

Did I do each part correctly? Mark off
each.

Did I have a problem with a part that I now
know how to do? Go back and try again.

Play Teacher: What will she be looking for?
Check those things.

What kind of mistakes might I have made?
Check those things.

Relevance

Self-Respect

You will be judged all through your life by
how well you perform in everything
YOU
do. If
YOU
take pride in your work, other people will be impressed, and think
highly of
YOU.

Before you can expect other people to respect
you,
YOU
must respect
YOURSELF
by showing them that you are
WORTHY
of their respect! (Repeat this!)